The present invention relates to recording apparatus such as copying machines, facsimiles, printers, etc. for recording image data and more particularly to a recording apparatus which permits its user to readily select or alter recording functions or add various other functions.
Copying machines with highly sophisticated functions has been recently energetically developed. Taking copying magnification as a functional example, copying machines which allow users to select one of several copying magnifications, in addition to those copying machines which carry out only equimagnification copying operation, have been put on the market. Moreover, there have appeared those copying machines wherein the copying magnification can consecutively be changed. As for development, copying machines usable for multicolor recording or recording with selected colors, using more than one kind of toner, as well as those used to reproduce monochromatic pictures using only one kind of toner are already in use. With respect to the method of handling originals, there are some copying machines equipped with mechanisms for automatically replacing originals and others designed to successively copy double-spread two pages of each bookbinding original one page after the other without moving the original.
The advantage of copying machines having highly sophisticated functions is that they are generally more serviceable than those without having such functions and therefore offer a wide range of applications. However, a copying machine capable of performing a multifunction tends to complicate its operation and consequently necessities a larger console panel on which operating keys are disposed. As a result, users to whom those additional functions are not essential will have to use relatively expensive machines and products which often induce them to misoperation. Accordingly, potential customers are classified into groups and copying machines are being developed in such a manner as to realize functions most suitable for each group. Notwithstanding, attempts at supplying a market with a plurality of models intended for such groups make each model less competitive in price because the number of products for manufacture invariably decreases as long as they are designed for special use. In a case where the requirements for functions of a machine change at the side of the user, on the other hand, the user will have to replace the copying machine and thus ultimately be unable to put it to economical use.
Although a description has been given of copying machines by way of example, facsimiles, printers, etc. have also posed similar problems.
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a recording apparatus which permits the addition or alteration of recording functions as its user desires.